How I made $100 when my checked bag got delayed

A few months ago, I had to fly from Boston (BOS) to San Francisco (SFO). Since I was planning to stay in San Francisco for a while, I decided to bring a checked bag with me. I was flying with Alaska Airlines, and I paid for my flight using The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card.

However, when I landed in San Francisco, I was greeted with the news that my bag was left behind in Boston and was thus delayed. When I heard this, I immediately remembered that I could receive compensation for my delayed bag from Alaska Airlines, as well as from Chase, since I used a credit card with eligible travel insurance coverage.

My baggage ended up being delayed about 12 hours, since I had landed on the last flight of the night, and the next flight from Boston to San Francisco wasn’t departing until the morning.

Getting Compensation from Alaska Airlines

When I landed in San Francisco, I heard my name being called over the airport intercom as I was waiting for my bag at the baggage claim. When I walked into the Alaska Airlines office, they informed me that my bag was delayed and gave me paperwork to fill out to file a claim. After I received my claim, I went home.

After I got home, I went to Costco and bought some new toiletries to cover the essentials that I had left in my checked bag. When I got back from shopping, I called Alaska Airlines to file a claim for reimbursement due to my delayed checked bag.

I sent over a picture of my itemized receipt and waited to hear back. After a few weeks, I was sent an email stating that I would be reimbursed $42.53.

On top of the $42.53, I remembered that Alaska Airlines offers a 20-minute baggage guarantee on domestic flights. If your checked bag takes longer than 20 minutes to arrive at the baggage claim belt, you’re eligible to receive 2,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles, or a $25 discount code for a future flight.

I brought the guarantee up to the customer service agent I was filing my delayed baggage claim with. Since my bag was delayed for 12 hours, which is much longer than 20 minutes, the agent apologized for my troubles and offered me either 5,000 miles or a $50 discount code instead of the standard 2,500 miles or $25.

I value miles much more than a discount, so I opted for the 5,000 miles. I then booked a short-haul flight on American Airlines from Worcester (ORH) to Philadelphia (PHL) using only 4,500 miles. This flight would’ve cost me nearly $200 out-of-pocket since I’m flying the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Taking the $50 discount would’ve only helped me make a dent in the cost, but the 5,000 miles helped me to cover the cost of the flight completely, highlighting just how valuable Alaska Airlines miles can be.

However, the $42.53 credit didn’t cover everything I had purchased at Costco. Therefore, I moved on to the second step of baggage delay reimbursement: filing with the credit card company.

Getting Compensation from Chase

A strong perk of travel-oriented credit cards is that many of them will offer travel protections and insurance, such as lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, etc.

I had booked my flight using Alaska Airlines miles, but I paid for the taxes & fees using The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card. Since I used my Ritz-Carlton card to pay for the fees, I was entitled to the travel protections and insurance the card offered.

Regarding baggage delay insurance, The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card reimburses you up to $100 a day for up to 5 days for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing when baggage is delayed over 6 hours. Since my bag was delayed for 12 hours, I was entitled to the baggage delay insurance.

However, it is worth noting that credit card travel reimbursement is secondary to the primary reimbursement from the airline. In my case, I had to file a delayed baggage reimbursement claim from Alaska Airlines before I could file one with Chase.

In order to file a claim, I needed to log onto chasecardbenefits.com and submit all the required documents. The documents I had to submit to file my claim were:

• Confirmation of the baggage delay from the airline
• Itemized sales receipt
• Monthly billing statement showing purchase amount
• Settlement payment or denial from the airline, including vouchers, credits, or refunds
• Travel itinerary

Since I had used my authorized user card to pay for the flight, my name didn’t appear on the monthly billing statement, but rather the primary cardholder’s name instead. To supplement this, I added pictures of both the front and back of my Ritz-Carlton card to show proof that I was an authorized user.

After submitting all the required documents, I sat and awaited my decision once again. After a few days, I was notified that I would be reimbursed $57.47, totaling up to $99.97 from both Alaska Airlines and Chase for my delayed baggage reimbursement.

Final Remarks

Having your checked bag delayed can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a total loss. By knowing your rights with the airline and understanding the travel protections offered by your credit card, you can turn an inconvenient situation into an opportunity for reimbursement and even free travel.

In my case, filing claims with both Alaska Airlines and Chase not only covered my essential expenses but also rewarded me with miles worth more than the cash alternative, allowing me to travel on a flight for free. If you travel often, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with your airline’s baggage policies and your credit card’s insurance benefits so you’re prepared the next time a delay happens. A little preparation can turn a travel mishap into a win.